25,000 vehicle owners have had to be re-tested because safety standards have not been maintained, and six out of 10 vehicles which have had their Warrants of Fitness redone have failed.

The usual failure rate is four out of 10.

Motor Industry Association chief executive David Crawford told Tim Dower that shows some WoF operators may have been turning a blind eye, or they were incompetent.

He says NZTA left it too late to crack down on incompetent WoF operators. 

"It is a sad indictment on the industry that the process was not followed by NZTA. The WoF stations that were not properly monitored were soft targets."

Crawford said the whole process of getting a vehicle inspected can be complicated for many people, with the market flooded by operators offering cheap deals and services which may not be up to scratch.

"I am not surprised to hear that people haven't taken up the opportunity to have a free WOF done, people just don't get around to doing it

They needed to move swiftly, but left it to late. Those that are charging less are more likely going to do a quick job which isn't up to standard. It won't be a thorough service at all."

With the safety of your vehicle an extremely important priority, Crawford warned the agency changes need to be made to ensure people are protected on the roads.

"The agency needs to be monitoring this more closely, and to stop the ones which are not doing the job properly."

LISTEN ABOVE AS DAVID CRAWFORD SPEAKS TO TIM DOWER